


Subversive Materials

by Owlix



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, academic rivalry, kink discussion, passive-aggressive sniping, politically subversive romance novels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-04
Updated: 2015-09-04
Packaged: 2018-04-19 00:33:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4726088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Owlix/pseuds/Owlix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Politically subversive materials come in many forms.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Subversive Materials

Froid dropped the stack of datapads heavily onto Rung’s desk.

Rung finished the sentence he was writing before looking up. “Why, Froid. I didn’t expect to see you today. Weren’t you busy with that project of yours?”

Foid didn’t return Rung’s pleasantries. “Explain this,” he said, vocalizer wavering with some kind of muted rage.

Rung lifted his glasses and looked at the datapads scattered across his desk. “Hm. It seems to be a rather large collection of romance novels.”

“Don’t you dare give me that–” Froid reeled his reaction in, with visible effort. “ _You_ wrote these. I’d recognize your sentence structure anywhere.”

Rung’s eyebrows lifted. He reached for one of the datapads and absently paged through it. “An interesting hypothesis. I’ll agree that this is certainly a pen name, at least.”

“ _It’s not a hypothesis._  Explain this.”

“Well Froid, I’d think you’d know already, but” - Rung held up the picture on the cover page and pointed - “this bit goes here, and then–”

“ _You know what I mean._ ” Froid leaned across Rung’s desk and lowered his voice, although he certainly didn’t calm down. “These are  _subversive materials_.”

“Are they? How fascinating.” Rung paged through the datapads, feigning renewed interest. “Why haven’t they been banned?”

“Because the government doesn’t have the resources to pay attention to every bit of low-culture garbage that gets pushed out to the masses.  _As you well know_.”

“I see.” Rung put one novel down and traded it for another.  “If you’re so familiar with their content, Froid, I suppose that means you’ve read them?”

Froid’s flustered expression and staticked silence was enough of an affirmation. Rung took pity on him.

“No?” Rung sorted through the pile, flipping through them as he went. “I see they deal with… interesting subject matter. Mixed-class romances… Inversion of traditional Cybertronian cultural norms, with intellectual-class mechs submitting to those with working-class alts, and even…  _oh my_. Even submitting to  _disposables_. And not just that. Sadomasochism. Bondage. Power-play. ” He met Froid’s optics over the datapad and smiled. “Is that too kinky for your tastes?”

Froid grabbed the book from Rung’s grasp. “If word were to get out that you’re the author of this– of this  _filth_ –”

“If some unfounded rumors got out that your  _ghostwriter_ was connected to subversive anti-Functionist materials, Froid, it could become a problem for both of us.”

Froid stood there for a long moment, leaning across Rung’s desk, optics blazing. “What you’re doing is more dangerous than you realize,” he finally said, very low.

“I’ll take your opinion under advisement.” Rung pushed the stack of novels across his desk, straightened his glasses, and went back to writing. “I think you have more important things to be spending your time on right now than silly romance novels, Froid. Don’t you agree?”

Froid glared at him for another long moment before gathering the books up and leaving. Rung waited until the door was shut to laugh.


End file.
